ON Tuesday, the 22nd of August, Thailand’s Parliament will attempt once more to elect Thailand 30th Prime Minister.
House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha confirmed the schedule during an interview with reporters.
Move Forward Party Leader Pita Limjaroenrat, who topped the may general election, faced rejection in his bid to become prime minister by conservative and military-backed lawmakers multiple times.
Meanwhile, Thailand’s Constitutional Court dismissed a petition to renominate Pita on Wednesday – the latest blow to the Western-educated prime ministerial hopeful who vowed to make changes in the decades-old lese Majeste law as part of his campaign promise.
Pheu Thai party, which won the second highest number of votes during the May election, is now leading a multi-party coalition government without its former ally Move Forward Party (MFP).
The coalition led by Pheu Thai now involves nine political parties with real estate tycoon Srettha Thavisin as its candidate for prime minister.
A candidate must receive approval and secure majority from both houses of parliament to become a prime minister.
In the latest development, the United Thai Nation or UTN, the party of outgoing Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha, promised to support Pheu Thai’s candidate for prime minister.
With the inclusion of UTN as its 10th member, the coalition now boasts 274 House seats, which is more than half of the total seats required in the lower House.
